1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera battery cover structure for closing the battery chamber housing a battery inside a camera body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a freely attachable and removable camera battery cover having an attachment and removal guide provided on the extended line from a camera's rear cover hinge such that compactness is achieved by avoiding an increase in the width of the camera body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In compact cameras, a known type of battery chamber, that houses the battery inside the camera body, is one which is configured and positioned such that it forms an opening at the rear surface of the camera body and is closed by a battery cover after the batteries are loaded. With the prevalence of various types of electrical mechanisms in recent cameras, most notably, autofocus mechanisms and motor drive mechanisms, the capacity of the batteries loaded into camera bodies of this type is becoming greater. Thus, it is common to position this type of battery chamber independently, at the rear surface of the camera body, in a location which is separate from the rear cover of the camera. Moreover, it is desirable that the position where the battery chamber is located at the rear surface of this type of camera body be in an area to one side of the hinge of the rear cover of the camera, taking into account the battery insertion and removal operability and free space on the surface of the camera body where it is not necessary to attach other members. Therefore, the battery chamber has conventionally been positioned in an area adjacent to the hinge of the rear cover, and a type of battery cover which closes the opening of this battery chamber was provided so that it could be attached and removed freely, or opened and closed freely, by an appropriate catch or hinge mechanism attached to the edge of the opening of the battery chamber.
However, in the conventional battery cover structure, the following problems are involved in positioning the battery cover in the vicinity of the battery cover hinge at the rear surface of the camera body.
In compact cameras, making the camera more compact is an important issue, and attaching a rear cover as well as a battery cover on a common hinge so that they can both open and close freely on the rear surface of such a camera body makes it difficult to limit the width dimensions of the camera. Having the same hinge shaft for both the rear cover and the battery cover is conceivable, but the structure would be complicated, resulting in problems in the ease of assembly. Moreover, with this type of structure, there is the danger of the hinge being damaged when force is inadvertently exerted in the respective opening directions when the rear cover and the battery cover are both already opened. Also, when there is a common hinge, it is necessary to incorporate leeway into the camera body for opening both covers, potentially resulting in the degradation of the external appearance.
For the reasons above, it is conceivable to configure and position a battery chamber at a position adjacent to the hinge of the rear cover so that it can be freely attached and removed. However, in employing a type of battery cover structure which can be freely attached and removed, it is necessary to attach fitting protrusions and catches. A fitting protrusion, such as a guide, is necessary for guiding the battery cover in the attachment and removal direction. For attachment and removal in the direction of the rear cover hinge, guides are necessary on both side edges of the battery cover, one guide being on the battery cover edge adjacent to, and apart from, the rear cover hinge. As a result, the width of the camera body with this type of battery cover structure must be increased by an amount equal to the size of the guides, making it impossible to respond to the need for further compactness.